A 72-year-old retired woman from Hyderabad has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹14.5 lakh after being placed under a fake “digital arrest” by scammers posing as law enforcement officials.
According to a complaint filed with cyber crime authorities, the incident began on March 18, 2026, when the woman, a resident of Kokapet, received a call from an individual claiming to be a police inspector from Bengaluru. The caller alleged that a SIM card linked to her Aadhaar had been used in a serious criminal case, including human trafficking, and cited a fabricated FIR number to make the claim appear legitimate.
The call was then transferred to another person impersonating a senior police officer, who further accused her of being involved in illegal activities connected to a suspect allegedly arrested by central agencies. The fraudsters also claimed that suspicious financial transactions had been traced to a bank account in her name.
Despite her repeated denial, the woman was threatened with arrest and told she was under “digital arrest,” a tactic used to isolate and intimidate victims. The callers warned her of legal action by enforcement agencies if she failed to cooperate and insisted on verifying her financial records.
Under pressure, the victim shared her bank details and was instructed to transfer money to multiple accounts, with assurances that the funds would be returned after verification. The scammers further extracted information about her assets and convinced her to take a loan against her gold ornaments to arrange additional funds.
The fraud continued until the accused demanded an additional ₹20 lakh as a “security deposit,” raising suspicion and prompting the woman to realise she had been deceived.
She subsequently approached the cyber crime police, reporting a total loss of ₹14.5 lakh. Authorities have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the multiple phone numbers used by the fraudsters.
Officials have once again urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain cautious of such impersonation scams and avoid sharing personal or financial information over unsolicited calls.
